Category: Pastor’s Desk
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God’s Jealous Love for You
I was sitting at my computer, preparing a sermon for the coming Sunday, with Spotify playing in the background. Then this song came on: You invented all of time and space Called the morning and midnight into place Made the mountains and tamed the wildest seas And still You set Your holy eyes on me…
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Oh, to live in love!
My Jesus Prayer I stole a prayer from Lazarus, a Coptic Orthodox abouna. I get practically all my information from social media, and it was there that I heard him share this prayer. My heart latched onto it. Here it is: “My Lord Jesus, I hunger and thirst for your love today. Fill me with…
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Meshing the Word and the Spirit
What does it look like for a church to be filled with the Spirit? Wouldn’t you want to be part of a congregation that is full of the Holy Spirit? A church filled with the Spirit will be a glorious thing, right? But, what does a church filled with the Holy Spirit look like? The…
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Ever Had Buyer’s Remorse?
Have you ever had buyer’s remorse? I’m sure we all have, to some extent or the other. A few years ago, I leased a new car, a Hyundai Tucson. I began to drive the car around and at first, I was enjoying it very much. Then I went to visit a friend. He came out…
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Adopted to Sonship: Understanding Huiothesia in Paul
Introduction: More Than Rescue When we hear the word “adoption” in modern Western contexts, we instinctively think of the noble act of taking in a vulnerable child who needs a home, don’t we? It’s beautiful, it’s compassionate, and it’s life-transforming. But here’s the thing: this modern understanding can obscure what the Apostle Paul actually meant…
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Adopted to Sonship: What Paul Really Meant (and Why It Matters to You)
Introduction: Not What You Think When you hear “adoption,” you probably picture a Hallmark moment—a family welcoming a chosen child. That’s nice, but that’s not what Paul meant when he wrote about huiothesia (Greek for “adoption to sonship”). Here’s the reality: the Roman Empire wasn’t known for kindness to vulnerable people. When a wealthy Roman decided to “adopt” someone,…
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Don’t let your love grow cold!
Western Culture in Upheaval To say that Western society is in upheaval would be the understatement of the decade. Identity politics, wars threatening global stability, economic uncertainty, institutional distrust, rising violence, and the massive upending of cultural norms regarding sexual identity—it’s enough to make anyone despair. Fear, anxiety, confusion, disillusionment, and hopelessness seem to rule…
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The Two End Time Loves
To say that Western society is in upheaval would be the understatement of the decade. Whether it is identity politics, invasions threatening global stability, economic uncertainty, mistrust of leaders and institutions, an upsurge in violence on our streets and in our schools, or the massive upending of cultural norms with regard to sexual identity, it…
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Make Us One
You know how sometimes you read a passage of Scripture and unexpectedly something in that passage jumps out at you? Maybe you’ve read that passage several times, but this time Holy Spirit highlights an idea and it goes deep into you and if you act on it your life can change in a real way.…
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A kiss from my father in heaven
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”] [et_pb_row admin_label=”row”] [et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”] I’ve always liked horses. I haven’t had much contact with them mind you. I have ridden a few in various places along the way. I love to rub under their neck where their heart is. A horse trainer once told me they like that. I’ve done so a…